Worn concrete floors look unsightly and can cause damage
to goods being transported on forklifts.While replacement
of the entire floor may be one option, Chris Betterley of
Tremco illbruck explains that there are other solutions

Industrial floors can look jaded after
many years use, with uneven areas,
potholes, damaged areas and a general
dusty appearance. Bad concrete can cause
goods to be damaged during transit on
forklift vehicles and dust contamination can
affect stock. In the modern business
environment, inspections by customers to a
supplier’s facilities is not unusual and a poor
quality concrete floor can be
unsightly and project the
wrong image.

Many property owners and
tenants may consider digging
out the concrete and relaying
a new floor. This can prove
costly and disruptive; many
think that they have to close
down for a month or just
live with localised repairs.

There are a number of
options available in such
cases:
Industrial grade
pumpable floor screeds are
cement based levelling
compounds which may be laid at between 5
and 20mm thickness. These products accept
full forklift traffic and are suitable for
warehouse or dry industrial processes.

The process is simple. Firstly the floor is
prepared using vacuum shotblasting to
remove weak materials and open the pores of
the concrete. The floor is them primed and
the screed is applied by use of a suitable
pump. The resulting surface has the same
compressive strength as concrete but higher
tensile and flexural strengths. Although such
screeds may be left bare, many property
owners/tenants choose to have the floor
coated with an epoxy sealer to enhance the
appearance and provide an easily cleaned
surface.

For areas where the floor encounters
water, milk, alcohol and other liquids then
polymer screed or polyurethane screeds may
be applied. A polymer screed includes a
special liquid additive for mixing with sand,
cement and granite which is typically applied
as a 10mm thick overlay which can even be
pigmented. This material withstands
constant exposure to water, is steam
cleanable and extremely strong, having
almost double the strength of a standard
concrete.

A polyurethane screed will do all of the
above but is for areas, particularly
manufacturing, where chemical exposure is
encountered. The 9mm thick, chemical
resistant, slip-resistant surface is steam
cleanable and provides a high degree of
durability.